LAM Mozambique Airlines Cuts Flights To Lisbon, Harare, And Lusaka Due To Losses
LAM Mozambique Airlines (Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique) has suspended its only intercontinental route to Lisbon and regional flights to Harare, Zimbabwe, and Lusaka, Zambia, citing accumulated losses of US$21.3 million on these routes, reported ch-aviation.
At a press conference on February 18, airline spokesperson Alfredo Cossa said that the airline was also reconsidering the future of its Maputo-Cape Town International route. This route is currently operated with a CRJ900 aircraft leased from CemAir, a South African operator.
Cossa revealed that the Lisbon route had been losing US$21 million since it was reinstated in December 2023 after a 13-year break.
The service, which had been operated using a B767-300ER and previously a B777-200ER, both leased from euroAtlantic Airways, has faced delays and cancellations recently, likely due to late lease payments.
The Lisbon route had been relaunched with discounted fares under the temporary management of Fly Modern Ark, which took over the airline’s operations in April 2023. Said Cossa:
We were feeding this route based on funds from the domestic market. We were producing and paying, and now we can no longer cope.
LAM Mozambique Airlines has been losing US$307,000 on its flights to Lusaka and Harare. The route was operated by LAM’s subsidiary MEX – Mocambique Expresso, using its only active E145 aircraft, C9-MEH.
The last flight on the Maputo-Lusaka-Harare-Maputo route took place on January 5, while another flight from Maputo to Quelimane and Lusaka was flown on January 12.
Spokesman Alfredo Cossa explained that the decision to cancel these routes was part of the airline’s restructuring plan to improve profitability, as the routes were not financially sustainable. The airline plans to focus on more profitable domestic flights and improve its management.
The Mozambican government is preparing to sell 91% of its shares in LAM to public companies to help strengthen its finances.
The government has also launched a tender for international fleet renewal, inviting 14 companies to submit proposals by March 5 for three E190s and four B737-700s.
